2023 South Dakota high school football: All you should know about the 11-player classes
Last year was a season of dominance across all four 11-player football classes. All four state champions, Jefferson, Pierre, Dell Rapids and Elk Point-Jefferson, had undefeated seasons en route to winning their titles.
This year, those marks might be harder to come by as the 2023 season figures to be a competitive one of 11-player football across the state.
Here's what you need to know about the key players in each class.
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Class 11AAA
Lincoln is primed to have one of the best offenses in the state as they return one of the most dynamic QB-WR combo in the state with seniors Tate Schafer and Jack Smith coming back for their senior season. The Patriots will have to find some depth on the defensive line after losing Gabe Gutierrez, Tyree Shorter and Tavin Clapper to graduation, but overall, they’ll have plenty of experience with 13 returning starters.
The Patriots will have plenty of competition in the 11AAA class, though. Brandon Valley returns a slew of talent that was injured last season, offensive lineman Navarro Schunke and wide receiver Landon Dulaney chief among them. Harrisburg has arguably the most talented wide receiver room in the state, headlined by seniors Tytan Tryon and Max Carlson. O’Gorman, anchored by Ryland Satter and Henry Theobald at fullback and cornerback positions, is always a threat as well.
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And you can never count out the champs. Although Jefferson lost a lot of their production to graduation, they still return Wisconsin commit Thomas Heiberger, Dawson Sechser, the team’s top tackler a year ago and speedy wide receiver Evan Haug.
Plenty of teams will contend, and Roosevelt and RC Stevens might surprise some people with a run of wins.
Sioux Falls Lincoln
Coach: Jared Fredenburg
2022: 7-4
More: Lincoln football returns a high-powered offense and is looking for diamonds on defense in 2023
Top returners: QB Tate Schafer, WR Jack Smith, RB Dreavin Hodge, WR Isaac Jarovski, DL Brycen Mitchell, DB Ryan Hirsch, DB Sawyer Tolk, DB Mason Bolkema
Coach's quote: “One of the things I like best about our team is their calmness. They show up to put their work in and have fun, but there is a quiet confidence in how they go about their job. They seem to understand that having a couple of good players isn't going to be enough to achieve the goals they have set for themselves. It takes the whole team together, and our best players are happy when others on the team succeed.”
Brandon Valley
Coach: Matt Christensen
2022: 4-6
More: 3 Brandon Valley football players to know heading into the 2023 SD high school football season
Top returners: FB Micah Nelson, OL Navarro Schunke, OL Easton Poppe, WR Dveyoun Bonwell-Witte, DL Thomas Risty, DL Hudson Parliament, DB Drake Jellema, DB Kaleb Briest
Coach's quote: “Overcoming adversity, play to play, quarter to quarter, will be important. Opponents’ playing talent and coaching acumen always present challenges; however, we welcome challenges. That’s the reason to play football: forge yourself to withstand oncoming adversity, then come out a better version of yourself in all respects.”
Harrisburg
Coach: Brandon White
2022: 9-3
Top returners: WR Tytan Tryon, WR Max Carlson, WR Cale Morton, DB Logan O’Connor, OL/DL Max Elrod, LB Sam Just, LB Levi Danielson
More: 'I like to say we're No. 1': Harrisburg football returns arguably the best WR room in South Dakota
Coach's quote: “Our strengths will be our skill position experience and our team speed … Our expectations are to battle all year and make a deep playoff run.”
Sioux Falls Jefferson
Coach: Vince Benedetto
2022: 12-0
Top returners: OL Carson Hughes, WR Evan Haug, LB Thomas Heiberger, DE Dashawn Rohlik, DB Dawson Sechser
More: 'He's a good example of what a Cavalier should be': Jefferson's Thomas Heiberger sets the tone
Coach quote: “We will be a young inexperienced team, there will be adversity throughout the season. How our team handles adversity will determine if we have success or not.”
O’Gorman
Coach: Jayson Poppinga
2022: 9-2
Top returners: OT Lathan Wilcox, FB Ryland Satter, TE Sullivan Schlimgen, RB Maverick Jones, S Hayden Groos, CB Sam Marsh, CB Henry Theobald, LB Sullivan Schlimgen
More: O'Gorman football returns plenty of skill players, but need strong O-line to emerge in 2023
Coach's quote: “Replacing a large number of senior starters. Record-setting QB Bennett Dannebring and four offensive linemen as well as Nate Ratzlaff and Joe Niedringhaus anchoring the defense.”
Class 11AA
Pierre is looking to continue making history this season, and they have a good shot at it. No South Dakota school had won more than five consecutive state championships until last year, when the Governors won their sixth consecutive title behind now-Ohio State quarterback Lincoln Kienholz. This year, Pierre returns 10 starters including 6-foot-4 tight end Jett Zabel.
The two teams that are most likely to compete with the Governors are once again Tea Area and Yankton. The Titans have been a consistent performer for years and have faced Pierre in the state championship in back-to-back years. Expect them to be at that championship-caliber level again this year, even with only six returning starters.
More: Here are 3 Harrisburg football players you should know heading into the 2023 season
Pierre
Coach: Steve Steele
2022: 12-0
Top returners: WR Cade Kaiser, TE Jett Zabel, RB Brock Moser, OL Matthew Coverdale, LB Trey Lewis, DL Emmit Andersen, LB Chance Carda, DB Spencer Easland
Coach's quote: “Offensively we will look pretty different this year with new faces at some skill positions and a couple new OL. Defensively is similar. We are replacing some key spots that will need some adjusting. We need to get comfortable with the changes and gel quickly as a unit.”
Tea Area
Coach: Scott Frey
2022: 10-2
Top returners: FB/LB Keegan Deyoung, OL/DL Carter Turek, OL/DL Garrett Weibenga, LB Jessen Weibenga, CB Ethan Vis, LB Sam Werdel
Coach's quote: “With the loss of a great senior class, the younger players will need to step up and fill the positions that are open due to graduation. I love the energy that the players have. They are all united in getting better as a team every day. They also look out for each other and realize that we cannot reach our goals if we play as individuals or even individual classes.”
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Brookings
Coach: Brady Clark
2022: 5-5
Top returners: OL Braeden Stadler, OL Luke Hanson, OL Andrew Hahn, WR Dagi Thomas, LB Ethan Houtman, DB Charlie Bisgard, DB Cole Hockett, DL Luke Hanson
Coach's quote: “Our curiosity and eagerness to learn and get better at football is something we are extremely excited about. We are a young team this season, but during the offseason, and over the summer, we have been excited as coaches seeing the commitment from our guys to get better in the weight room and on the field.”
Watertown
Coach: John Hodorff
2022: 3-7
Top returners: QB Treyton Hemmerich, RB Juven Hudson, WR Owen Spartz, FB Spencer Wientjes, DL Jayden Lambert, DL Caden Beauchamp, LB Simon Hendricks, LB Austin Johnson
Coach's quote: “The 2023 Arrows have a very good core of experienced football players who have played together for a long time. Our team has a lot of athletic ability and very good team speed.”
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Yankton
2022: 6-5
Class 11A
Dell Rapids is coming off a perfect 12-0 season en route to winning the state championship in 2022, and they are returning some key players this season. The defending state champs have the explosive offensive duo of Jack Henry and Mason Stubbe who cause havoc for opposing defenses from the QB and RB positions. They also return Aiden Geraets and Treyse Eastman on the defensive side of the ball, both of whom were big for them last year.
Their biggest competition will be the 11A runner-up from a year ago, West Central. The Trojans lost quarterback Justin Zirpel who accounted for 67% of their yards on offense, but they're still returning some All-State caliber talent. Defensive linesmen Chet Carda and Crew Heier put constant pressure on opposing teams' offenses and combined for 16.5 tackles for loss.
Canton is another team that will look to fight for a state championship. They bring back a lot of size at the receiver position. Dakota Valley, Sioux Falls Christian and Madison are three other teams that could string together some wins this season.
Dell Rapids
Coach: Jordan Huska
2022: 12-0
Top returners: OG Ethan Kringen, OT Ryan McDaniel, C Kale Evans, QB Jack Henry, RB Mason Stubbe
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Coach's quote: “The work ethic this group has shown throughout the offseason has been great to see and be around. They are focused on being the best football team they can be in 2023 and working towards that each day.”
West Central
Coach: Chris Hernandez
2022: 10-2
Top returners: TE /DL Crew Heier, ATH Jesse Jost, RB Aiden Bartmann, WR Layton Johnson, LB Chet Carda, DB Jude Jarding
Coach's quote: “This is a very close group. Our Seniors are in year three in our system, so they know what the expectations are. My favorite thing about this team is that they are hungry. They have been using the end of last year to drive them in the offseason and we have seen tremendous growth from a lot of our players.”
Sioux Falls Christian
Coach: Jared Smith
2022: 7-4
Top returners: C Lincoln Semchenko, RB Johnny Skyberg, RB Brayden Witte, FB Paul Hoekman, LB Kade Van Egdom, LB Kaden Van Otterloo, DB Cole Snyder
Coach's quote: “The keys to a successful season will be our ability to run the football and stop the run on defense. We will have a young and inexperienced line on both sides of the ball that will need to grow together as a unit in order to be successful. We believe we’ll have great competition and more depth this year at several positions than we’ve ever had in the past.”
Madison
Coach: Joe Bundy
2022: 4-6
Top returners: QB Ben Brooks, WR/RB Eli Barger, WR Andrew Comes, WR Carson Wolf, DE Braxton Bjorklund, DL Parker Johnson
Coach's quote: “We will need to have guys step up to and take leadership roles on the team. If we can play together and have good leadership, we will have success this year.”
Canton
2022: 5-5
Dakota Valley
2022: 6-4
Class 11B
Last season was a fairytale run for Elk Point-Jefferson, the reigning 11B state champions. The Huskies entered the championship game with a perfect 11-0 record and their 21-14 championship win was the first in school history. The Huskies are one of the favorites to do it again but are one of the class champions who will field a lot of younger players.
Winner is another favorite to make it back to the state championship. Before their loss in the championship last year, they had won 34 consecutive games and two straight state titles. Winner returns Aidan Barfuss, who won the Most Valuable Player in the 2021 state championship game, and two-way impact player Shawn Hammerbeck.
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McCook Central Montrose and Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan are two other teams sure to be in the mix.
Elk Point-Jefferson
Coach: Jake Terry
2022: 12-0
Top returners: WR Garrett Merkley, WR Kayden Moore, OL/DL Evan Fornia, OL Hudson Kempf, LB Jake Gale, DB Carson Timmins
Coach's quote: “Even though we do not return a lot of starters, we do return a lot of players who played a lot of time. In order for us to get back to where we want to be we will need to develop our depth. As coaches, we will need to design a scheme to fit our guys.”
Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan
Coach: Jeff VanLeur
2022: 5-5
Top returners: G Jason Zeeb, G Riley Weber, QB Macklen Weber, T Korbyn Kayser, LB Kean Stevenson
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Coach's quote: “Keys for us this season will start right up front and how well our line can play early in the season. The team’s work ethic has been great, and we have had a good summer.”
Hot Springs
Coach: Ben Kramer
2022: 8-3
Top returners: RB Camron Maciejewski, OL Kayden Hansen, OL Caleb Rickenbach, OL Dawson Kleppe LB Colin Iverson, C Matt Close, C Blake Hanes
Coach's quote: “First and foremost, we need to stay healthy. We have a lot of young talent but they need to gain experience through practice and JV games, not be forced into a role they are not prepared for. They have seen success over the last two seasons and are hungry to make that next step. They work extremely hard for us and that will pay off huge once the season comes around.”
More: O'Gorman football returns plenty of skill players, but need strong O-line to emerge in 2023
McCook Central/Montrose
2022: 9-2
Sioux Valley
Coach: Dan Hughes
2022: 5-4
Jonathan Fernandez covers high school and college sports for the Argus Leader. Contact him at jfernandez1@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JFERN31.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: 2023 South Dakota high school football 11-player preview
